DNA vs. RNA

DNA and RNA are both nucleic acids that are contained within the cells of living things.

DNA, the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, it is the substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals. Hereditary information, such as having freckles, is carried in DNA. It is a double helix shape consisting of a long chain of the nucleotides adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine held together by hydrogen bonds. DNA is found in a cell's nucleus and mitochondria.

RNA, the abbreviation for ribonucleic acid, it is the substance in plant and animal cells that helps control cellular chemical activities. It is what helps carry out DNA's "blueprint" by creating proteins. RNA can be found in a cell's nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosome. RNA is comprised of a single strand, as opposed to DNA's double strand. RNA also contains the nucleotide uracil instead of thymine.